Love Has No Boundaries
by PhoenixFire Lia
Summary: Here it is, the whole story. I would have had it out sooner, but Archnemon kept me busy.
1. The Journey Begins

Love Has No Boundaries

~Part One, The Quest Begins~

The night air was warm, but there was no solace for the only one still awake in the small apartment in Odaiba. She lived in that place with a family she was fortunate to call her own, but she yearned for more. There was a young man out there, somewhere, waiting for her. And she wasn't going to let him wait any longer. 

I vowed to find a way to bring you back to me, my Wizardmon. I will not break my vow. As long as I draw breath I will never give up on you. 

Gatomon picked up the staff that sat against the wall in the corner and clutched it close to her. She could almost feel his strong hands holding her gently; she could almost hear his voice whispering kind words to her. 

It was simple enough to snatch Kari's D3 from the desk, but trying to turn on a computer in the middle of the night without waking anyone was an entirely different story. Miko, the Kamiya's pet cat, minced by, flicking his tail in distaste at Gatomon, who hissed back. The digiport appeared on the screen, awaiting the command to open the portal to the Digital World. Gatomon hesitated for a moment, but then jumped onto the table and held the digivice in one gloved paw, the other tightly clamped around the staff. 

"Forgive me, Kari, but I have to do this. Digiport, open!"

There was an instant of brilliant light, then darkness, as Gatomon was transported through the digiport back to her original home, the Digital World. It was night here as well, and it took Gatomon's breath away as she peered up into the blackness of the night sky and saw billions of stars twinkling brightly overhead, each a tiny pinpoint of light glowing with an ever constant gleam. 

This journey will be the most difficult one I'll ever have to make, I know it now. But I know love has no boundaries, and wherever I may go, let it bring me one step closer to finding you, Wizardmon. 

"Gatomon…"

She gasped, hearing the voice of the one she loved. "Wizardmon!"

"I beg you please, Gatomon, don't make this journey. The perils are far too great, far too numerous for you to comprehend. If you continue, you will lose your life. It's not worth it, I'm not worth it."

"No, no Wizardmon. You're worth every step I take, every drop of blood I may shed, every tear that will fall. I will bring you back to life, no matter what the price may be." Wizardmon said nothing, and Gatomon took that to mean that his spirit had left her.

"Then let this be the start of my journey," she sighed, setting off down a dirt road. 

Love has no boundaries, and if I must walk to the ends of the earth to revive you, then I shall. 

~*~

A/N: If you have any suggestions (Positive ones! I will ignore any negative comments!) about where Gatomon's journey will take her, feel free to include them into your reviews. I don't know exactly when Part Two will be posted, it depends on how much free time I can secure. 


	2. A Test of Courage

Love Has No Boundaries

~Part Two: A Test of Courage~

Rain fell in small bursts off and on through the night, but it was the warm kind that tickles one's skin gently. Now sunlight was trying to peer through patchy clouds, bright shafts of light penetrating the darkness and heating the cool ground. Morning dew dripped off every blade of grass, and the meadow was alive with the hurried activity of bees and hummingbirds as they darted from one gaudy flower to another. Gatomon breathed a sigh of contentment, rubbing her paws along the staff she carried. The bright metal gleamed, the wood shone, and Gatomon felt that much closer to the end of her quest. 

"It's been three days since I started. I hope Kari hasn't gotten too upset by now," she said to no one in particular, stretching stiff limbs. It was odd to Gatomon that she had seen no other travelers at all, not one friendly face to give her any direction. She smiled a little, knowing what some of the others would say if she asked for their help. Tentomon would launch into a whole lecture, explaining latitude and longitude and charting things by the position of the sun. Agumon would plow on ahead boldly, not mattering where the road would lead. Biyomon wouldn't go anywhere unless the others thought it safe as well. 

"And Wizardmon would tell me to let my heart lead," she murmured. 

Suddenly the ground around her trembled, and the meadow became deathly silent. It was though the entire area was afraid of whatever caused the earth to heave so violently. Gatomon looked around, trying to find what caused the ground to shake. There was nothing visible, until a beacon of light shot up from the ground about a mile from where she stood, in the middle of the meadow. 

Gatomon gasped and started running towards it. "Maybe that's where I need to go!" She moved quickly through the tall expanse of grass, her white fur contrasting against the golden stalks. Out of breath and exhausted, she fell to her knees in front of the beacon and stared at it in awe. 

The source of the light was a slab of stone about a foot thick and two feet in diameter. Emblazoned on the stone was a symbol etched in gold and shining brilliantly. Gatomon peered at the symbol and instantly recognized it. 

"The Crest of Courage!" 

The wind hissed in a low voice like dry leaves tossing in an autumn breeze. 

"Nine tests of loyalty you must take before your loved one you can wake."

"Huh?" Gatomon murmured, not understanding the words the cold air spoke. Suddenly the world started spinning violently, and the motion made Gatomon ill. Blackness closed around her, and in the dark she blindly called out. 

"Wizardmon, help me!"

~*~

The black void stretched on endlessly, cold and barren. Light seemed to be forbidden in this place devoid of all color and life. Gatomon lifted her head weakly, her head still spinning as the ground had done just moments before. But something was definitely wrong here, and it was a something that terrified Gatomon. 

"Wizardmon's staff! Oh, oh, I can't find it! If anything's happened to it I'll never forgive myself!" 

A deep, throaty laugh penetrated the inky blackness that smothered Gatomon. She knew that laugh and despised it with all her heart and soul. 

"Hello, Gatomon. Are you looking for something?" it asked. A gloved hand reached out of the abyss, clutching the staff tightly. 

"Give me that, it's mine!"

"Oh really?" the voice taunted. "I don't seem to remember this in your weak little paws, Gatomon. Yes, this belonged to that pathetic friend of yours. The one you were too afraid to save."

"What do you mean?" Gatomon asked warily. 

"Yes, you know it's true. You could have saved that wizard fellow, but you were too afraid to face your fears. You just sat back and let him get himself killed so you didn't have to get your hands dirty. You're a coward, Gatomon, a worthless coward."

Gatomon shrank back, fearing the voice of her old master might be right. But there was another voice echoing behind this one, much fainter, but still audible. 

"Gather your courage!"

That's what Agumon once told Tai. And that beacon, the Crest of Courage…this is a test of courage! 

"You don't scare me. I'm not going to allow you to manipulate me like you did in the past. I am not your servant, and I am no coward! Wizardmon's death was not my fault, nor will it ever be my fault! You have no power over me, Myotismon, now give me that staff!"

Suddenly the room exploded with light, the blackness dissolving into minute fragments that blew away into dust. The staff flew across the room, and Gatomon grabbed it, hugging it tightly. 

"In Courage you did plainly succeed, but eight more wisdoms you will need," a new voice recited. 

"Eight wisdoms?" Gatomon repeated. 

"One less test you have to take before your loved one you can wake."

"Hey, I don't do well with puzzles! Speak in English!" 

There was no reply, but suddenly the room spun again, and once again Gatomon was hurled into darkness. 

~*~

The sun was shining its last golden rays over the valley as the sky burst into brilliant colors. Gatomon smiled, lying on her back and watching as the first stars blinked into sight. She had passed the first of what would be many challenges. 

But every one shall bring you closer to me, Wizardmon. 

She ran her paws over the staff, and felt a little mark she had never felt before. Near the top of the staff handle was a carving of the Crest of Courage. 

_Is this the first Wisdom? _

She contemplated who the mysterious voice belonged to, and what she would have to do to bring Wizardmon back, until her eyelids drooped and she fell into a deep sleep. She could almost feel his gloved hand gently caressing her cheek. 

~*~

A/N: Will Gatomon discover the secret of the Wisdoms? Find out in Part Three!


	3. A Test of Friendship

Love Has No Boundaries

~Part Three: A Test of Friendship~

Mud sucked loudly at her ankles as she struggled through the deep pools of bracken mire. Mosquitoes whined in her ears, and she absentmindedly swatted at them with a free hand. The water was rank, as were the plants that sank their roots into the muck. This swamp wasn't to Gatomon's liking at all, but she somehow knew she would find the next Wisdom in this foul-smelling place. 

The Wisdoms were still a thing of mystery to Gatomon; she understood she needed all nine of them in order to bring back to life the one her heart burned for. But how she would use them was the baffling puzzle? She had captured one already, the Wisdom of Courage, now etched in her staff. 

"But where are the other eight?" she muttered to herself, rubbing the first marking. 

The swamp was deathly silent, except for the constant drone of mosquitoes humming their bloodthirsty tune. Gatomon half expected some long-dead villain to rise from the quagmire and pull her down into their soggy world.

But that could never happen, not with Wizardmon protecting me. Wherever you are, if you can hear me, send me a sign love of mine. 

A slight breeze caused her fur to ripple slightly, and it sang in her ears, overpowering the nagging shrill voices of the countless insects vying for her blood. 

"Gatomon, please be careful," it whispered, murmuring in Wizardmon's voice. 

"I will, I promise," she replied, her voice strained over the lump in her throat. 

As the echo of his voice died, a burst of brilliant light shot through the cloudy water, illuminating the swamp with an unearthly glow. From out of the morass came another stone pedestal, huge and heavy like the first, yet the symbol engraved upon it was different, and it was emblazoned in silver. 

"The Crest of Friendship!"

As it had before, the world began to spin violently, with a stomach-wrenching motion that made Gatomon suddenly gag. But this time, she was unafraid. Maybe it was the encouragement of hearing her lover speak to her, or the power from the Wisdom of Courage, or just that she half expected the next test. But whatever the reason, when Gatomon passed out again, she entered the darkness emboldened. 

~*~

"Help me! Please somebody help me!" a cry sprang from the dark. Gatomon was on her feet in an instant, ready to aid the caller. Holding her staff, unafraid of the blackness that smothered everything around her, threatening to squeeze her tiny body to death, she wandered through the dark, searching for the owner of the cries. When she found him, the courage drained from her heart and she was unsure of what to say or do. 

He seemed just as conniving as ever, even in his decrepit state of disarray. The snappish look in his eyes was still present, as it had been when she first laid eyes on him. This creature, this wicked, hateful monster, was the beast that drove poor Matt to despise Tai with a passion. It was his treacherous lackey that beguiled the young man into attempting to murder his friends and his own brother. And it was this horrible creature that had created a rift between Matt and T.K. that, only after separation and guilt, was mended.

Gatomon glared at this intolerable digimon, if she could even bear to call him that, with an utter loathing. Puppetmon was the vilest and wickedest creature she could think of next to Myotismon. But Myotismon was different; he haunted her every thought and nightmare, plaguing her with the unending guilt that it was her weakness and not Wizardmon's sheer courage and love that compelled him to throw himself into the line of fire. Puppetmon was merely a despicable digimon that one remembers for the rest of their life as "the demon that hurt Matt."

"So, it is you I have to overcome. I have no fear of you, only loathing. You engorged the enmity between two people I care about until it drove them to shed blood for honor. I don't know how you can justify yourself, and I hope you have all eternity to question your sense of morals and ethics."

"Well, that's a lovely little speech, but it's not going to earn you the next Wisdom. Face it, kiddo, you're only kidding yourself. That ragtag bundle of worthless ectoplasm you fawn over is staying on our side and there ain't nothing you can do about it."

"I know perfectly well why you're here and what it is I have to do to obtain the Wisdom of Friendship. You are a hated demon with no friends, and it gave you the satisfaction to torment the child with the Crest of Friendship because you envied him and the bonds he shared between those he cared about. Well guess what? You still don't have friends and he does. Matt has grown into a compassionate, loving young man with immeasurable strength of character. He fully relies on his friends, which is something you will never experience. He and I aren't that different. We both share bonds that can never be undone. Wizardmon and I share a bond like that and we continue to care for each other despite circumstances so you have no authority to tell me what I can and can't do!"

Puppetmon smirked at Gatomon, his eyes narrowed with a touch of fury smoldering within them. Gatomon stared back at him in satisfaction, feeling a second mark etching itself into the staff below the first. However, this time the room didn't explode into light like it had before. 

"You may have won the Wisdom of Friendship, but you are not ready to leave this place, feline fool. The first two Wisdoms were gifts, easily obtained. The other seven you will not receive so easily. And if you fail to pass the next tests, not only will your pitiable wizard boyfriend stay trapped in the Dark Eternity for all times, but you will too."

"The Dark Eternity? What's that?"

"This is what. This place is where the wicked hearts of the Digital World are trapped. Your weak little Wizardmon is here too. Maybe you shouldn't be so quick to trust him, if he's living his afterlife with a rogue crowd of vile and despicable criminals."

"You're lying! You…you _imprisoned _him here! You and Piedmon and all your cronies didn't want to be stuck here without someone to torment forever, so you decided to pick on the digimon I love so you could make the both of us miserable! Well I'll show all of you! I'll find the other Wisdoms and bring him back and then I'll be laughing at you in the Mortal Realm sitting pretty in Wizardmon's arms and you can't stop me!"

"Oh I can't, can I? You'll see, pussy cat, you'll see how cocky you are when you realize that if you look upon Wizardmon's face he will die twice over."

"What?!"

"Oh yeah, there are rules down here, ya know. If you look upon your lover's face while on the test of Wisdoms, not only do you fail the test and you're both trapped, but your lover has to die all over again. And down here, we make death a slow and arduous process." 

Gatomon stared at him in shock. "So I'm not allowed to see Wizardmon until I pass the other seven tests?"

"No, you're not allowed to see him until you pass the other _two_ tests. The next test you get your Wisdoms, and the test after that you have to…hey wait, you're trying to milk me for all the answers! What do I look like, some kind of cow digimon? You're not getting anything else out of me! I'm getting out of here, good luck on finding your way back."

Gatomon stood there, alone in the dark void, listening for any sort of sound, not just the steady throb of her heartbeat and the slow rhythm of her breathing. Her paws were curled tightly around the staff, which she cherished so much. The bitter sting of unhappiness bit at the back of her throat, rising in a hard lump that choked her. 

_I'm not allowed to see Wizardmon at all until this is over. It's just so unfair! _

"Are you ready for the third test?" the mysterious voice that usually spoke in couplets asked. 

"What, no rhyme today?"

"I'm getting to it. To earn the Wisdoms, pass you must. The following test is a test of Trust."

"But there's no Crest of Trust. I'm figuring the Nine Wisdoms are the Crest symbols, and I don't remember any Crest of Trust."

"We can't call it anything else because you're receiving multiple Wisdoms. Now come on, you're already behind schedule."

"Just who are you, anyway?"

The voice said nothing, or perhaps it did, and Gatomon didn't notice for once again the fog of unconsciousness drifted around her and she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

~*~

What is Gatomon's next test? Will she be able to pass it and gain the other seven Wisdoms? Was Puppetmon lying about Wizardmon? Will I get any reviews? (That answer had better be yes.) Find out in Part Four of Love Has No Boundaries. 


	4. Trust and Love

Love Has No Boundaries

~Part Four: Trust and Love~

Gatomon sighed, waiting patiently for the next test to begin. She knew this one would be the most difficult of all, but she was determined to pass it. The seven Wisdoms that remained, signifying the other seven Crests, needed to be earned in order for her to bring Wizardmon back to life, and this was the test that would earn her those Wisdoms. 

"I still don't know if these things are even going to do much for me. I mean, they're just cute accessories right now. What if I'm doing all this and I could have gotten Wizardmon back in one easy step? I'm just so confused," she thought aloud. She wished she could pour her heart out to someone who truly understood her, but that someone was Wizardmon and he was still trapped in Death's cold clutches. 

The other digimon were probably worried about her. Gatomon had been sensing for quite some time that Veemon and Patamon were trying hard to get her attention, but she completely ignored the both of them. She liked them, but just not the way they wanted her to like them.

Won't they be shocked when I come home with Wizardmon? I can't wait to see the looks on their faces. Oh Wizardmon, will these ridiculous tests ever end? I just want to get you back and go home, back to Kari and the people I care about. 

But now she sat on the cold ground, the staff of her lover engraved with two Wisdoms sitting on her lap, waiting for some signal to begin the next test, the test that would ensure the return of Wizardmon…or be his second death. And Gatomon did not have to wait long. 

~*~

Gatomon had begun to doze off, her eyelids drooping more and more frequently. She tried pinching herself, but finding it impossible without fingers. She resorted to clawing at herself, but ended up drawing blood so she quickly stopped that as well. Just as she was about to lose the battle with sleep, blood started oozing from the walls where they met the ceiling, running down in thick scarlet cascades. The blood started pooling on the floor where Gatomon sat, and she jumped to her feet in surprise. The floor sank downwards, creating a sea of blood, which was now lapping around her slender ankles. 

"I have to do something!" she cried over the gushing crimson torrents as they continued their furious splatter into the ever-deepening pool. Holding the precious staff high over her head, she screamed out, "Gatomon, digivolve to…" but nothing happened. She could not digivolve on her own; she needed the power of Kari's digivice to supply the energy. She would not be able to hover over the ocean of blood on the wings of Angewomon. 

"Wizardmon, help me!" 

The flooding of the room intensified, and before long Gatomon was submerged in blood. While "underwater," she began having wild visions, visions full of agony and terror. Her lungs burned, craving air desperately, her heartbeat racing wildly. And all the while, her head filled with visions as a chorus of voices echoed in her ringing ears.

(The following italicized stuff is part of Gatomon's visions, k?)

Blood. Gatomon could clearly smell blood, even though the small room in which she sat was darker than night. And there was another stench in the air, the smell of sweat and sickness, and of festering wounds. The foul odor clung to Gatomon, the reek of oncoming death. This was a memory of her youth she did not want to remember. This was a time when she was evil, ruthless, and corrupt to a fault. She was in the dungeons of Myotismon's castle, with the dead and dying prisoners. She looked from one face to another, most blank, deceased stares. Her heart ached, realizing she had let her former master do this to these helpless captives, she had done nothing to save them and Gatomon had never before in her life felt so helpless. She walked along the rows of chained prisoners, watching as they struggled to live, and she cried aloud when she came upon the end of a row and found Wizardmon shackled along with them.

"Wizardmon, you have to help me!"

"Why should I? You've neglected those who need you most."

"You know I would never…"

"Then what are you standing there for when innocent digimon are dying?"

"I don't know what to do!"

"Really?"

"Please, Wizardmon, I'm drowning in a pool of blood."

"Of course you are, that is the blood of those you have caused torment. My blood was shed into that river as well."

"But I never hurt you! Wizardmon, I love you, with all my heart and soul. I cannot do anything about those I have wronged before, but I am paying now and I am trying with every day that passes to right those wrongs I could not undo."

"Can you trust what you cannot see?"

"What?"

"Answer the question, Gatomon."

"Yes, Wizardmon. I can, and I will, and I am sorry."

"Why?"

"Because I could not save these digimon."

Someone grabbed Gatomon's paw and pulled her out of the sea of blood just before her soul took the final departure. She was gently laid down on a cold stone floor, the staff beside her. She coughed, gagged, and spat up blood she had swallowed while trying to scream. Her fur was now matted and stained with crimson. She looked up in time to catch a shadow whisk off into the dark. 

"Wizardmon? If that was you, thank you," she whispered, coughing again. 

~*~

She was sitting up now, in a spotless room of white. No doors, or windows, much like the other room minus the blood. Suddenly the walls of the room started moving, and Gatomon was afraid they would start gushing blood again. Mirrors lined the walls instead, many of them beautiful and all at Gatomon's height. She stood now, clutching the staff, and approached a mirror. Around the wooden frame written in gilt letters was the inscription "Only One Can be True." 

"So all these mirrors will show images, but only one of them is a true image and I have to figure out which one it is," she thought aloud, staring at the reflection in the mirror. A stunning reflection of herself being cuddled by Wizardmon while Patamon and Veemon stared on jealously came into focus. Gatomon frowned and progressed to the next mirror. Kari sat in her room here, stroking Miko the cat. She seemed contented, not worried about where Gatomon was. Gatomon backed away from this mirror quickly. She walked around the group of mirrors, seeing images that pleased her and images that frightened her. Finally she came upon a mirror that seemed older, homelier, less beautiful. She blew back a thin film of dust and cobwebs and gazed into the reflection. Gatomon saw standing before her a bloodstained cat, once white now crimson, with purple-tipped ears and tail, saturated formerly yellow gloves, and paws that held a tarnished staff. This seemed normal enough, but Gatomon saw that behind her reflection stood another one. This one was translucent, hazy, but well enough defined that she could make out the figure. A spirit like form stood behind her, a gloved hand resting on her shoulder, though she felt nothing. 

"You are always there to guide me, aren't you? Though I am not allowed to see you, I suppose the reflection in a mirror doesn't count. No matter if I fail this quest or not, I know you will always love me, and I you. This mirror is the truth, Wizardmon; and may it bring us together again."

One by one the mirrors shattered, breaking into thousands of fragments that blew through the room in a whirlwind. The truthful mirror showed the spirit Wizardmon holding onto Gatomon tightly, and this time she could feel his arms around her. 

"I'll protect you, I promise," he murmured. 

~*~

Gatomon opened her eyes to find Wizardmon, or his spirit, had vanished once again. But now she was surprised to find that she was no longer coated in blood from head to toe, but was once again pure white, like the room. The floor started trembling, and a pedestal rose from it, a wooden box sitting on it. Gatomon's eyes lit up. 

"The Wisdoms!" she cried, racing over to the box. She went to put her paws on it to open it, but she stopped just before lifting the lid. 

"Wait a second, this smells fishy. I mean, who puts the prize out for the taking anyway?"

"Gatomon," came Wizardmon's voice. 

"Wizardmon!"

"Open the box, my love. You have passed the tests, open it."

"Yes, Gatomon," his voice echoed itself. "Open the box and set me free."

"Open the box, Gatomon. We can finally end this long separation."

Gatomon was about to lift the lid when Wizardmon's voice called out again. 

"Gatomon."

"I'm opening, I'm opening!"

"NO! Don't open that box, Gatomon, it's a trick!"

"He's lying to you. He's one of the demons of the Dark Eternity, sent here to make you fail. Open the box, precious one."

"Yes, Gatomon, do open it. Let me hold you in my arms again."

"Oh Gatomon, open the box and we can be together."

"Gatomon, please, I beg you, don't open that box! We'll both die if you do! Please, you have to believe me!"

Gatomon stood there, utterly confused. There were far too many people telling her what to do. 

"Open it!"

"Open it, if you truly love me!"

"Open it, my angel, and I shall never leave your side."

Gatomon shut her eyes tightly, clasped her paws over her ears. That didn't stop the shouts. The cries all sounded like Wizardmon, yet they didn't. Should she open the box and appease the first three, or heed the fourth's warning. She heard someone kneel beside her, and through all the hollers of "Open it!" she heard a small voice say, 

"I trust you, Gatomon, and I know that you will make the right decision. And whatever you choose, I will accept it as fate. Let me prove the validity of my words." Someone tipped her head back and kissed her, truly kissed her. She could feel ardent fire singeing her very being. 

"I trust you as well, Wizardmon. What do I do?" she murmured. 

"Run. Run from here." 

She opened her eyes and saw that the entire back wall was ablaze, as though the passionate flames of her heart had leapt from her body and set the wall on fire. There was no other escape, and the voices howled for her to open the box. Realizing there was no other choice, she leapt into the heart of the fire, the heat searing her body. 

~*~

Gatomon looked up at the stars. They shone brighter than ever tonight. She realized she was standing on a balcony of sorts, still clutching the staff. Suddenly, that familiar rhyming voice began to speak, and Gatomon feared he would speak in his usual verses. 

"My congratulations and felicitations, Gatomon. You have passed the Test of Trust and Love, and you have earned all nine Wisdoms: Courage, Friendship, Sincerity, Knowledge, Reliability, Light, Kindness, Hope, and most importantly, Love. And what's greater than that is that you now have the power to revive your lost love, if you are willing to do so."

"More than ever, Sir. If it pleases you, I would like to do this as soon as possible."

"It shall be done…now, if you wish."

The voice did not continue, for Gatomon had fallen asleep, curled up into a little ball of fur, her tail resting over her nose, her paws curled tight around the staff, which now possessed all nine Wisdoms, the key to bringing Wizardmon back to life. 

~*~

**I'm so sorry this took so long! I got really distracted. The next part will be the last part of this series, and I want to thank in advance all those loyal readers who followed this series. Semper fidelis, Lia. **


	5. Final Kiss

Love Has No Boundaries

Part Five: Final Kiss

A/N: The end! It's the end of the series! I don't know whether to be happy or to break out the Kleenex. Thanks to all of you who read this and enjoyed it. It's been wild. 

It had been a long, hard journey, and now it was about to end. There were days of torment, nights of anguish, loneliness and heartache the best friends one could have at times, but it was all about to change. At long last, after so much hurting, Gatomon could finally be reunited with Wizardmon, her one true love. She had faced the demons of her past and become a stronger person by dealing with them, now it was time to end the long nightmare.

She was slightly surprised to find that for once, she was not in a sparkling white room or one shrouded in darkness. This room was slightly in between. The floor was cold stone, gray and uncomforting. There were no walls to speak of, only a colonnade of marble pillars, wrought-iron candelabras stationed between every two pillars, wax candles burning low over the holders, lumps of drippy wax catching on the metal, leaving twisted corpses and tiny pinpricks of light. The ceiling was nonexistent as well, only the dark, blue-black velvet of night, studded with countless glistening stars draped over the places where columns reached up to emptiness. A stone altar stood in the middle, draped with a linen cloth the color of pure fire. Gatomon stepped boldly towards this altar, her grip still tight on the staff of the one she held so dear. 

"Finally. Thank goodness this will all be over soon," she sighed aloud, kneeling before the stone altar. 

Someone shrouded in robes, their face hidden by a deep hood, appeared almost instantly. Gatomon looked up in question, hoping the figure would provide her with the answers she sought. 

"You must release the powers of the Wisdoms," the figure intoned. 

"Yes, I know. But I don't know how to do that," she replied. 

"You must break that item in your hands."

"What? The staff? Oh, I couldn't do that! It's all I have left of him, and it means so much to me."

"If you cannot break the staff, you cannot release the power of the Wisdoms, and the spirit of whom you desire will be lost in Dark Eternity."

A tear slid down Gatomon's cheeks, catching on her whiskers. She wanted to bring him back, but part with the staff, his loving gift to her?

~*~

Gatomon sat in contemplation for almost an hour, staring at the staff that she held. _What to do, what to do? He gave this to me, as a sign of his love. How could I destroy it, even if it meant bringing him back? I'm so confused. What should I do?_

As Gatomon stared at the nine symbols engraved on the staff, she knew the answer was plain to see, even though it broke her heart. She stood, placing the staff on the altar. 

"Forgive me, Wizardmon," she murmured. "Lightning Paw!"

Wood splintered, metal shattered, bits and pieces flew everywhere. The fragments of what once belonged to her love glowed in a multitude of color and levitated themselves back to the altar. The scraps circled the stone at a rapid speed, the colors whirring together, the light blinding Gatomon. She shrieked and fell to her knees, covering her head with her paws. 

"You have done well, Gatomon," the mysterious voice that constantly provided her with insight and clever verses called above the whipping of the wind in the cold stone room. She trembled in fear, praying it would all be over soon enough. 

_Why did I ever make this journey in the first place, if I was just going to die anyway?_

~*~

The light dimmed down, the howl of the wind quieted, and Gatomon ventured to look up. The same shrouded figure was still there, now sitting on the altar. 

"And now, Guardian of Light, you have earned what you have searched for," he said, in the same voice as the mysterious benefactor. Gatomon stared at the hooded creature carefully, still on her knees. The figure threw his hood back and fell to the floor, sobbing her name. The little digimon brought her paws to her face, gaping at the being before her in open-mouthed shock, ragged sobs catching in her throat.

"Oh…oh…oh Wizardmon!" she wept, throwing her arms around him. 

"I knew you would save me, Gatomon, I knew it."

"I never stopped hoping, I never stopped."

She stared up into his eyes, that perfect shade of emerald. He drew her into his arms, cradling her tiny form close to him. 

"You…you were that annoying voice that kept bothering me?" she questioned, her tears dropping like rain. 

"I promised myself I wouldn't let you do this on your own, so I did everything in my power to help you. Gatomon, I love you with all my heart."

"I love you too, Wizardmon."

He drew his cloak away from his face and kissed her, holding her and silently promising to never leave her side. 

~*~

They finally left the stone temple the next morning, after a long night of talk and love. The area of the Digital World that they emerged into was one very familiar to both. 

"Well this is ironic," Gatomon sighed. 

"The very same place we first met. Gatomon, take a look at that."

"What?" 

Wizardmon pointed to a small stone in the middle of the dirt pathway, an inscription lovingly carved into it. 

"In this place, in a time some years ago, the Guardian of Light would find true love. Hey wait; this is Kari's writing. Humph. She and T.K. must have put it in when I wasn't looking."

"Kari? You've seen Kari?"

"Wizardmon, I live with her. C'mon, there has to be a digiport around here somewhere. I'll fill you in on the last four years."

~*~

Tai peered into the room, noticing her sister was in the same position she had been in for quite some time. Lying facedown on the bed, her arms wrapped around a pillow, weeping miserably, Kari had lost all appetite and did nothing more than cry herself to sleep over and over again. Not even her boyfriend could elicit a smile from her. 

"Why did she go away, why?" she whimpered. 

Tai couldn't take much more of it. Kari was his sister; it was his job to look out for her. But seeing her in this state was heartbreaking. 

"Come on, Kari, you're making Mom and Dad really upset. I'm sure Gatomon had good reason to go off and leave you, and I'll bet she's going to be home really soon," he said, coming into the room. 

"S-she w-won't. Izzy couldn't even f-find h-her, so what's the use?"

Just then the computer screen started glowing. There was a flash of light, and two figures tumbled onto the floor. 

"I hate those re-entries. We'll have to see if Gennai will fix those for us one of these days," Gatomon sighed, getting to her feet. 

Kari looked up in disbelief. "Gatomon?"

"Kari!" Gatomon jumped onto the bed and hugged her Chosen Child tightly. The other figure stood as well.

"I'm sorry for stealing Gatomon away, but I knew you of all people would understand."

"Wizardmon! Oh my God, Tai, it's Wizardmon!"

"But how?" Tai questioned. 

"A miracle!" Gatomon yelped. "Oh Kari, I'm so sorry for leaving, but I had to bring Wizardmon back and I didn't want you to come with me because it was so dangerous and I didn't want you to get hurt and oh, Kari!"

"The others are going to be shocked when they hear about this," Tai muttered. "Welcome back, you two."

"Thank you."

"Wizardmon and I are going off for a while, I thought we'd go see what Patamon was up to and get the others and go get a pizza or something."

"Just be back by curfew," Kari teased, smiling once again. 

~*~

_And now, I can stop hurting, for I have ended my long journey and brought my love back. Love has no boundaries, and we certainly proved that. _

~*~

**The end. I'm sorry this is shorter than the others and it took longer to write, but I had a major case of writer's block and a lack of creativity. Special thanks to my digimon for letting me keep him dead for some time. I know, I owe you big, Wizardmon. What? No, I'm not dumping Matt! Just because you're overprotective and jealous that doesn't mean I'm dumping him! You have your own girlfriend! **


End file.
